Commander lays out Tradoc priorities

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Changes are afoot at the Army's Training and Doctrine Command to help it achieve its missions related to shaping the transformation to the Objective Force, according to Tradoc's commander.

Tradoc is charged with developing the organizational construct of the Army's transformation, including refining the more than 500 requirements that comprise Future Combat Systems (FCS).

The command is preparing the latest FCS operational requirements document for an April presentation to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC), said Gen. Kevin Byrnes, Tradoc commander, during his Feb. 27 remarks here at the Association of the U.S. Army's winter symposium.

Presenting the requirements to the JROC is a normal step on the path toward bringing FCS to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for its next milestone decision in mid-May, he said.

Byrnes said the FCS requirements document is unprecedented because it really includes about 20 systems in one document and attempts to use "very specific, quantifiable metrics" in a spiral development process.

As opposed to the traditional way of assembling large systems in parts, FCS is a so-called system of systems and the Army is progressing in a way that "allows for future technology developments," he said.

The Objective Force is a strategy to develop advanced information technology tools, vehicles and weapons that will make the Army's armored forces better able to survive an all-out fight. FCS will equip Army vehicles with information and communications systems to give soldiers capabilities for command and control, surveillance and reconnaissance, weapons firing, and personnel transport.

Elsewhere at Tradoc, Byrnes said the command has recently established a much closer relationship with Joint Forces Command and is drafting a memorandum of agreement to formalize the partnership.

Tradoc already has "embedded" a seven-man cell at Joint Forces Command headquarters, and the two commands for the first time will be co-sponsors of the Army Transformation War Game later this year, he said.

Tradoc also is working to "revitalize the Army's plan for experimentation" from a technology standpoint and getting tools into the hands of individual soldiers and entire units faster, Byrnes said, adding that the command will deliver that plan by June.

"We've got to have this to make sure our investments are wise," he said, adding that includes working the other military services, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, industry, and Army labs to ensure the plan is ready for execution next year.

A final change is the formation of Futures Command, which would serve as a subunit of Tradoc. That command would work on integrating the requirements supporting the Objective Force, removing that burden from the Army headquarters staff, Byrnes said. The new command is currently an internal Tradoc plan and has not yet been brought to the service's leadership for approval.